Transitioning away from a leadership role in a business you’ve nurtured and grown is more than a career change – it’s a significant life event. This shift can impact your sense of identity, purpose, and daily structure.
Addressing the mental health components of this transition is essential for a smooth and healthy adjustment. There will be many changes – from relief to grief to loss and more – all of which can make the transition more emotionally heavy or challenging than it was meant to be. If your company is larger or well known and you’re operating in the New York City area, chances are stepping down is also a high profile change.
Emotional Impact and Mental Health Considerations
As therapists in Brooklyn, our role is to help you with what is likely to be a profound transition. During that time, we are going to work with you on a variety of different components to help you with this change. Some of these include:
Understanding Identity Shift – A therapist will help you explore how your work has shaped your identity and how its loss might affect you. You may need to grieve the loss of this part of your life and redefine your sense of self outside the business world.
Processing Mixed Emotions – Feelings of relief, loss, uncertainty, and even grief are common. Therapy provides a safe space to process these complex emotions, helping you to understand and accept them as part of the transition.
Developing New Coping Strategies – As you adjust to life outside of your company, you’ll need new ways to manage stress and find fulfillment. A therapist can work with you to develop healthy coping mechanisms that align with your new lifestyle.
Building a Support System – It’s vital to maintain and build a supportive network. A therapist might encourage joining groups or activities where you can connect with others experiencing similar transitions.
Redefining Purpose and Goals – Therapists often guide clients in exploring new interests and passions that can give a renewed sense of purpose. This might include volunteer work, mentoring, or pursuing personal hobbies.
Mindfulness and Reflection – Practices like mindfulness and meditation can help you stay grounded during this transition. Therapists might introduce these techniques to help manage anxiety and stay present.
Navigating Role Changes in Personal Relationships – Stepping down can change dynamics in your personal relationships. Therapy can help you navigate these changes, improving communication and understanding with family and friends. Ask about high-profile couples counseling if needed.
Managing Free Time Effectively – Without the structure of work, you might feel unmoored. Therapists can assist in creating a balanced schedule that includes productive, fulfilling, and relaxing activities.
Maintaining Mental and Physical Health – Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and hobbies can greatly benefit mental health. A therapist might work with you to create a wellness plan that suits your new routine.
Throughout the transition, you may also find that you’re struggling with anxiety, stress, even depression. Your therapist will help you work through those issues as well so that you can enjoy reducing those stress levels.
Embracing a New Chapter with Mental Wellness
The journey of stepping down from your company is unique and deeply personal. It involves not just a change in daily activities, but a transformation in how you view yourself and your place in the world. By focusing on mental health and working with a therapist, you can navigate this transition more smoothly, finding new sources of joy and fulfillment in this next chapter of life.
Remember, this period is not just an end but a beginning – an opportunity to rediscover yourself and reshape your life with newfound freedom and perspective.
Understanding and Nurturing Mental Well-being at Age 60
As individuals transition into their 60s, mental health becomes an increasingly important part of overall well-being. This phase of life often brings significant changes, including retirement, the onset of age-related health conditions, and alterations in family dynamics. These changes can have profound effects on mental health, making it more important to both be aware of these issues and be willing to take the necessary steps to address them.
The Mental Health Landscape at 60
The 60s are a time of life re-evaluation and adjustment. For many, this decade brings the freedom of retirement, providing opportunities to pursue interests and hobbies. However, it can also be a period of loss, including the loss of professional identity, decreased social interaction, and potential bereavement. Physical health may start to decline, leading to concerns about independence and mobility.
All these factors can impact mental health, potentially leading to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression, or a sense of purposelessness. Some of the most common mental health concerns include:
Depression and Anxiety – These are among the most common mental health issues faced by those in their 60s. The loss of routine, isolation, health concerns, and financial worries can all contribute to these conditions.
Cognitive Changes – Mild cognitive impairment or the early stages of dementia can begin to manifest, leading to concerns about memory and cognitive abilities.
Adjustment Disorders – Difficulty in adjusting to the changes that come with aging, such as retirement, empty nesting, and physical limitations, can lead to stress and anxiety.
These issues affect many – if not most – of those that are seeking retirement. That is why it is so important to pay attention to how you feel and make sure that you’re willing and able to address it if any issues arise.
Promoting Mental Health at 60
Maintaining mental health in the 60s requires a multifaceted approach, and one that may involve either new lifestyle changes or avoiding decisions and issues that could affect your mental health. It is strongly recommended that those that are turning or already 60 consider:
Social Engagement – Staying socially active is crucial. Engaging in community activities, joining clubs or groups based on interests, and maintaining friendships can help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Physical Activity – Regular exercise not only benefits physical health but also has a positive impact on mental well-being. Activities like walking, yoga, swimming, or age-appropriate fitness classes can be beneficial.
Mental Stimulation – Keeping the brain active through reading, puzzles, learning new skills, or engaging in creative activities like painting or writing helps maintain cognitive function.
Healthy Lifestyle – A balanced diet, adequate sleep, and avoiding excessive alcohol and smoking contribute to both physical and mental health.
Seeking Help – It’s important to recognize when professional help is needed. Consulting with a mental health professional for therapy or counseling can be beneficial, especially when dealing with grief, depression, anxiety, or significant life changes.
The 60s are a time of transition, but they also offer opportunities for growth and fulfillment. Embracing this phase of life involves accepting changes, finding new purposes, and nurturing relationships with family and friends. It’s a time to focus on what brings joy and fulfillment, whether it’s spending time with grandchildren, traveling, volunteering, or pursuing long-held interests.
Mental health at sixty is an integral part of overall well-being. Acknowledging the unique challenges of this age, while also embracing the opportunities it brings, is key to maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life. With the right support, strategies, and attitude, the 60s can be a rewarding and enriching phase of life.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), often called “Seasonal Depression,” is a type of depression that occurs almost entirely in the winter months. Although it is a psychological disorder, studies do seem to show that it is linked directly to earlier nightfall and more time spent indoors (away from natural light) during the colder winter season.
This link is so strong that “light therapy,” where a person exposes themselves to artificial light, can reduce the symptoms of seasonal depression. As a psychological disorder, it is still recommended that a person seek out mental health treatment, because the symptoms of depression can linger in their own way, but there is no denying that seasonal depression and winter are strongly interlinked.
However, just because there is a link between the two conditions does not mean that a person’s seasonal affective disorder is entirely related to darkness and cold weather. Many people that struggle with SAD also find that there are other mental health issues occurring during this time that are also playing a role.
Why Might Someone Feel Depression in Winter?
Winter, for many reasons, is a season when people may be more at risk for experiencing depression. Seasonal affective disorder is very likely to play a role, but there are other issues during this time as well that may affect a person’s mental health. For example:
Family trauma is more likely to arise during this time. Thanksgiving, Christmas/Channukah, and New Years are holidays where many people get together with family and friends – sometimes after not seeing them for an entire year. This is a time when those that have unresolved family issues can experience depression as a result.
The holidays are often a very busy time. Many people find themselves overwhelmed by holiday planning, or the cost associated with gift giving, or any of the many other needs that are specifically associated with the holidays. It is not uncommon to find this time very stressful, which would cause depression to occur more often during this time.
College students often have finals, and children have busy schedules with very limited vacation time. We are months away from summer, which can often serve as a reset, so winter months are a time when the stresses of a busy life become more prominent.
Many of us find that our exercise levels decrease in the winter. We spend less time outside and going on walks. We may overeat (possibly due to the holidays) or see our friends less knowing that it is cold and most of our spring to fall activities are closed. These can all lead to issues related to depression.
Some people also find that they feel more alone during the holiday season, when others are spending time with family. These are all potential contributors to depressive symptoms that appear to arise in winter.
Depression, as a condition, also changes how you feel about events, people, and other things in your life. A person with seasonal affective disorder may then be more likely to experience additional depression related to past family traumas (for example) in a way that does not occur during summer. This means that the cause of a person’s winter blues may be multifaceted, and not limited to just winter-related weather.
Seeking a Therapist for Better Mental Health
There are many reasons that a person may experience poor mental health in the winter. Seasonal depression is likely to be the primary cause, but what creates those feelings of depression may be more than just lack of light alone. If you often feel like you struggle in winter, contact Flourish Psychology today for mental health support.
The ultimate goal of couples counseling is to try to repair and grow a relationship. Most people seek couples counseling in an effort to address communication difficulties, overcome challenges, and learn how to grow together. Through our sessions, we use techniques specifically aimed at addressing these concerns and helping you become a better, stronger, happier overall couple.
Still, it is important to recognize that not all relationships are successful. Not all relationships are even meant to be. Sometimes, there are challenges that cannot be overcome, or there are relationships that – when you go back to how the relationship started – are not necessarily ones that were meant to be.
Even in these situations – situations where it is clear that the relationship has reached its end – there are goals that you need to complete as a couple. One of which is the idea of an amicable and uncontested divorce.
The Lifelong Value of an Amicable Divorce
Relationships, in many ways, never really end. We carry these emotions and memories with us each and every day. We think about that person often – maybe not as often as we did before, but they had an impact on our lives that we are unlikely to forget. If there are children involved, or if the person plays a role in our life that is likely to continue onward (for example, business ownership), then the odds are even greater that the person will always be a part of our lives in some form.
That is why couples counseling can – and often should – be considered even for those that may not necessarily want to keep the relationship together. Holding on to high emotions runs the risk of causing ongoing issues:
Ongoing stress when you have to communicate with your partner.
Ongoing anxiety when you’re dealing with family issues.
Ongoing relationship issues from broken trust or other struggles.
This idea that a divorce is final is not necessarily accurate. A person will continue to be in our lives in some form, either through memories or through interactions. Divorce itself can also be a difficult process, one that people are more likely to navigate in less emotionally healthy ways when they are feeling angry or upset.
It is in a couple’s best interests to try to work on their issues even if continuing the marriage is no longer the end goal. The long term value that it can have to your mental health – and the value that it can have to any kids involved – makes it clear that learning to better communicate and understand each other is always of value.
Even if you have decided not to move forward, it is best to consider still working through these issues so that you can divorce in amicable terms and come up with solutions that are in the best interests of both of you, along with any children or other interested parties. Contact us today to learn more about our couples counseling in NYC.
It’s difficult to describe a panic attack to someone that has never experienced one before. While it’s true they’re a form of anxiety, they are also immensely physical. During a panic attack, a person may experience chest pains, weakness, lightheadedness, rapid heartbeat – experiences that are so intense, they become their own fear.
While panic attacks may be anxiety related, it’s the physical symptoms that typically cause the most distress. A person with panic attacks often ends up fearing those very same physical symptoms, which in turn leads to more frequent and more difficult attacks.
Reducing the Severity of Attacks to Reduce the Fear of Panic
Panic attacks and panic disorder require a multifaceted approach to treatment, one that often involves therapy, lifestyle changes, and beyond. But it all starts with finding ways to reduce the severity of the attacks. The reason this is so important is because severe attacks:
Cause more fear, which increases the frequency and severity of the attacks.
Cause you more pain and discomfort, as the panic attacks get stronger.
Cause you to change your life in order to avoid panic attacks.
It’s this process that causes many people to develop other conditions like depression and agoraphobia. It’s also why panic attacks often get worse long before they get better. In fact, the less people fear the panic attack (because it is less severe, and thus more manageable), the more likely they are to take back control over their anxiety and have fewer panic attacks in the future.
So, if you can reduce the severity of the attacks, then you can also make it easier for yourself to take additional steps.
Addressing the anxiety of a panic attack is complicated. It’s why so many people choose to work with an anxiety therapist – someone that they can talk to in order to learn how to reduce and prevent anxiety. But what you can sometimes prevent is the severity of the symptoms. You can do this by:
Breathing Slower – Many of the worst panic attack symptoms come from hyperventilation. When a person breathes too fast and/or too shallow, they breathe out CO2 faster than they can make it. Hyperventilation also creates an irony – it makes you feel like you’re not getting enough air, causing you to breathe faster, yawn, or do other things to take in more air, thus making hyperventilation worse.
Talking it Out – If you have someone in your life near you that you trust, talk through your panic attacks with them. When we have panic attacks, we often go “inside of our own heads.” Talking your symptoms to someone near you while you have them decreases some of the fear, especially if it causes you health anxiety, and also helps take you out of your own mind by sharing those thoughts in public.
Engaging a Distraction – It can be very difficult to distract yourself during a panic attack, but every little bit can help. If you go for a walk, for example, the sights, sounds, and smells can potentially give you some light distractions that can help alleviate some of the symptoms.
We’ve created a bit of a reminder panic attack reminder checklist that you can keep with you to help you through the attacks. You can download and print the attachment here:
Panic attacks and their symptoms can manifest differently for every person, so we want to make it clear that you should discuss your specific symptoms with your therapist and work through the different causes, patterns, and more. You may find that some of the strategies may not work for you, or you need far more intentional interventions with a therapist than these provide.
Nevertheless, we hope that this checklist may be of help. If you’d like to inquire about an anxiety treatment, please contact Flourish Psychology, today.
Location: 300 Cadman Plaza West Floor 12 - Brooklyn, NY 11201
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